Rock drill



DeC. 428, 1937. E, Q GAR-HN 2,103,252

ROCK DRILL Filed March 6, 1934 Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,103,252 RocK DRILL Elmer G. Gartin, Claremont, N. H., assigner to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 6, 1934, Serial No. 714,317

10 Claims.

improved rock drill feeding mechanism. A further object is to provide an improved pneumatic feeding mechanism for a rock drill of the mounted drifter type. lYet another object is to provide an improved supporting and guiding structure for such a rock drill, said supporting and guiding structure having associated therewith the improved feeding mechanism. These and other objects of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear. Y

In the accompanying drawing there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the illustrative embodiment of the improved rock drill.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section showing structural details of the improved feeding mechanism. Y

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevational View of the drill shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. is a diagrammatic View showing two positions of the feed controlling valve.'-

Y Fig. 5 is a ydetail View showing the resilient connection between the feed cable and drilling unit.

In this illustrative construction there is shown a rock drill of the mounted drifter type generally comprising a drilling unit I supported and guided in an improved manner and having improved pneumatic feeding mechanism generally designated 2.

'Ihe improved feeding mechanism comprises alined cylinders 3 and 4 having at their remote ends head members 5 and 6, respectively, and arranged between their adjacent ends a common head member or partition l. This head member 'I is provided with alined bores 8 on its opposite faces for receiving the adjacent ends Aof the feed cylinders, while formed on the bottom of this head is a swivel plate 9 adapted to be clamped in a usual saddle mounting of a vquarry bar or tripod support. The cylinders 3, 4 and heads 5, Ii and l are maintained in assembled relation by parallel tie rods I Il, I9 extending longitudinally of the cylinders and having tightening nuts II engaging lateral lugs I2 formed on the heads 5 and 6 in the manner shownin Fig. 1. Reciprocably mounted in the feed cylinders 3 and 4,

respectively, are feed pistons I3, I4 each having suitable cup packing I5 and rigidly secured together for unitary movementwith respect to `the cylinders by means of a common piston rod I6. The pistons are each secured to the piston rod by a collar Il formed on the rod and a holding nut I8 threadedly secured to the rod, the piston being clamped by the nut againstv the collar.V v

This piston rod extends through a, central opening I9 formed .in the central head or partition l, and this opening is suitably packed by packings 20 for preventing leakage from the cylinders. The nut I8 for the front feed piston has a socket 2| for receiving a head 22 formed on an end of a feeding cable 23, this cable extending from the piston I4 of the front cylinder 4 centrally through an opening 24 formed in the head-Ii and passes around a guide sheave 25 journaled on a shaft 26 suitably supported by the head 5, the cable passing4 from the top of the sheave rearwardly along the top of the feed cylinder 4 in parallelism therewith and secured at 2'! Within ra socket formed in a depending lug 28 formed integral with the front chuck housing 29 `of the` drilling unit. The holding nut I8 for the rear feed piston I3r is Vprovided'with a similar socket for receiving the head of a cable 39, and this cable extends rearwardly through the rear cylinder throughan. opening 3|V formed inthe. head 5 and passes around a shea-ve 32 journaled on a shaft 33 suitably carried by the head 5. This cable extends from the upper side of the sheave rearwardly along the rear feed Acylinder 3 in parallelism therewith and is secured at 34 to a tension spring V35. for maintainingk the cables 23 and 30 under tension. This springA is connected to an eye-bolt 35 adjustably threadedly secured at 31 i within the rear head 38 of the drilling unit I.

This drilling unit comprises a hammer motor,

of a standard design, for' percussively actuatingv a drill steel 39 suitably mounted Within the front chuck housing 29, and the cylinder 49 of the drilling unit, in this instance, is provided at its opposite sides with dependingarms 4I each having a longitudinal bore 42 through which the tie rods I0 IlIl of the'feeding mechanism extend,

these arms 4I `4I slidably engaging the tiefrods I 0 for supporting and guiding the drilling unit, longitudinally ofV the feeding mechanism.

' Now referring to the improve'drneans for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to the feeding cylinders to effect reciprocation of the feed pistons, it will be notedthat carried within the rear head block 38 of the drilling unit is a throttle valve mechanism 4.4 having a control handlef4`5 and a fluid supply connection 46, and this valve mechanism is adjustable Ato control the flow of pressure fluid to the hammer motor of the drilling unit. Connected by a T 41 to the fluid supply connection 4B is a flexible hose d3 for supplying pressure fluid to the hollow interior 49 of a rotary Valve 5i! mounted in a bore 5l formed in a central head or partition 'l of the feeding mechanism. This valve has a suitable control handle 52. Connecting the valve bore 5l with the feed cylinders 3 and d are fluid supply passages 53 and 5d, while also communicable with the valve bore is a vent passage 55. Formed externally on the valve 5S are circumferentially extending grooves 5S and 5l, the former connected to the interior of the valve through a port 58. W hen the control valve 50 is in the position a shown in Fig. 4, pressure fluid is supplied from the interior of the valve through port 58, groove 55 to the forward feed passage 53 to the forward end of the rear feed cylinder 3 to act on the forward pressure area of the rear feed piston I3, thereby moving the piston rod I6 rearwardly, thereby drawing in the front feed cable 23, and as a result feeding the drilling unit in a forward direction, the rear end of the front feed cylinder A at the rear side of the feed piston i4 being connected to atmosphere through passage 54, groove 51 on the valve and vent passage 55. When the feed control valve is turned into the position bin Fig. 4, pressure iiuid is supplied from the interior of the valve 5! through port 58, groove 58 and through the reverse feed passage 54 to the rear end of the front feed cylinder d, the pressure fluid acting on the rear pressure area of the front feed piston i4 moving the latter and the piston rod forwardly, thereby drawing in the rear feed cable 30, and as a result the drilling unit is fed rearwardly, the forward end of the rear feed cylinder 3 at that time being connected to exhaust through passage 53, groove 5i and Vent passage 55. The remote ends of the feed cylinders 3 and 4 at the front and rear sides of the feed pistons lli and i3, respectively, are vented to atmosphere through the openings 24 and 3| in the heads 5 and 5, respectively.

' As a result of this invention, it will be noted that an improved pneumatic feeding mechanism for a rock drill of the mounted drifter type is provided, the improved feeding mechanism having associated therewith improved means for. supporting and guiding the drilling unit. It will further be noted that an improved feeding mechanism is provided of the multi-cylinder and piston type having improved connections between the pistons and the drilling unit whereby cylinder leakage is reduced to a minimum while at the same time rendering the same extremely simple in design. vThese and other uses and advantages of the improved rock drill will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modied and embodied in Various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l'. In a rock drill, a feeding mechanism comprising a pneumatic feeding device comprising a plurality of feed motor parts held in assembled relation by parallel longitudinally extending tie rods and embodying `a power feeding element, and a drilling unit mounted on said feeding mechanism and having guide elements slidably engaging said tie rods, said tie rods constituting the sole support for the drilling unit whereby the latter is supported and guided wholly independently of said power feeding element.

2. In a rock drill, a feeding mechanism comprising a pneumatic feeding device comprising a plurality of feed motor parts held in assembled relation by parallel longitudinally extending tie rods, a drilling unit mounted on said feeding mechanism and having guide elements slidably engaging said tie rods, and feeding connections between the opposite ends of the feeding device and the opposite ends of the drilling unit, said tie rods forming the sole guiding means for said drilling unit and supporting the latter wholly independently of said feeding connections.

3. In a rock drilling mechanism, the combination with a rock drill, of feeding mechanism for said drill comprising a central trunnion support, alined feed cylinders mounted on the opposite sides of said support, the latter forming an intermediate head for the adjacent ends of said cylinders, outer heads for the remote ends of said cylinders, parallel tie rods extending longitudinally of said cylinders along the sides of the latter for securing said outer heads, cylinders and intermediate supportin assembled relation, said tie rods forming longitudinal guideways along which said rock drill is slidably guided, feed pistonsreciprocable in said cylinders, a piston rod connecting said pistons for movement in unison and passing through a packed opening in said/intermediate head, connections between the remote sides of said pistons and said rock drill, and means for supplying motive fluid selectively to the adjacent ends of said cylinders for efiectingmovement of said pistons in one direction or the other thereby to effect feeding of the rock drill in either of opposite directions along said tie rod guideways,

4, In a rock drilling mechanism, the combination with a rock drill, of feeding mechanism' for said drill comprising a central trunnion support, alined feed cylinders mounted on the opposite sides of said support, the latter forming an intermediate head for the adjacent ends of said cylinders, outer heads for the remote ends of said cylinders, parallel tie rods extending longitudi-Y nally of said cylinders along the sides of the latter for securing said outer heads, cylinders and intermediate support in assembled relation, said tie rods forming longitudinal guideways along which said rock drill is slidably guided, feed pistons reciprocable in said cylinders,a piston rod connecting said pistons for movement in unison and passing through a packed opening in said intermediate head, connections between the remote sides of said pistons and said rock drill, means for supplying motive fluid selectively to the adjacent ends of said cylinders for effecting movement of said pistons in one direction or the other thereby to eiect feeding of the rock drill in either of opposite directions along said tie rod guideways, said motive fluid supply means comprising a control valve arranged in said intermediate head and passages controlled thereby for contro-lling the flow of motive iiuid from. a supply source to the adjacent ends of said cylinders.

5. In a rock drilling mechanism, the combination with a rock drill, of feeding mechanism for said drill comprising a central trunnion support, alined feed cylinders mounted on the opposite sides of said support, the latter forming an intermediate head for the adjacent ends of said cylinders, outer heads for the remote ends of saidcylinders, parallel tie rods extending longitudinally of said cylinders along the sides of the latter forc securing said outer heads, cylinders and intermediate support in assembled relation, said tie rods forming longitudinal guideways along which said rock drill is sildably guided, feed pistons reciprocable in said cylinders, a piston rod connecting said pistons for movement in unison and passing through a packed opening in said intermediate head, connections between said pistons Vand said rock drill including cables connected to the remote ends of said pistons and passing freely through openings in said outer heads, the openings through which said cables pass Venting the remote ends of said cylinders to atmosphere, and means for supplying motive uid selectively to the adjacent ends of said cylinders for effecting movement of said pistons in one direction or the other thereby to effect feeding of the rock drill in either of opposite directions along said tie rod guideways.

6. In a rock drilling mechanism, the combination with a rock drill, of feeding mechanism for said drill comprising a central trunnion support, alined feed cylinders mounted on the opposite sides of said support, the latter forming an intermediate head for the adjacent ends of said cylinders, outer heads for the remote ends of Vsaid cylinders, parallel tie rods ext-ending longitudinally of said cylinders along the sides of the latter for securing said outer heads, cylinders and intermediate support in assembled relation, said tie rods forming longitudinal guideways along which said rock drill is slidably guided, feed pistons reciprocable in said cylinders, a piston rod connecting said pistons for movement in unison and passing through a packed opening in said intermediate head, connections between said pistons and said rock drill including cables connected to the remote ends of said pistons and passing freely through openings in said outer heads, the openings through which said cables pass venting the remote ends of said cylinders to atmosphere, pulleys journaled on said outer heads for guiding said cables as the latter extend outwardly through said outer head openings, and means for supplying motive fluid selectively to the adjacent ends of said cylinders for effecting movement of said pistons in one direction or the other thereby to effect feeding of the rock drill in either of opposite directions along said tie rod guideways.

'7. In a rock drilling mechanism, the combination with a rock drill, of feeding mechanism for said drill comprising a central trunnion support, alined feed cylinders mounted at the opposite sides of said support, the latter forming an intermediate head for the adjacent ends of said cylinders, heads for the remote endsof said cylinders, parallel tie rods extending longitudinally of said cylinders for securing said heads, cylinders and trunnion support in assembled relation, said ylinder's, heads and tie rods supported solely by said trunnion support, feed pistons reciprocable .in said cylinders respectively, a piston rod connecting said pistons for movement in unison and passing through a packed opening in said intermediate head, connections between the opposite Sides of said pistons and said rock drill, constanty vent means for theremote ends of said cylinders, and means for supplying motive fluid to the adjacent ends of said cylinders for effecting movement of said pistons in one direction or the other I thereby to effect feed of the rock drill in either of opposite directions;

8. In a rock drilling mechanism, the combination With a rock drill, of a feeding and guiding structure for said drill comprising a central trunnion support, alined feed cylinders mounted at" the opposite sides of said support, the latter A forming an intermediate head for the adjacent ends of said cylinders, outer heads for the remote ends of said cylinders, parallel tie rods extending longitudinally of said cylinders for securing said heads, cylinders and support in assembled relation and forming guideways along Which the` rock drill is slidably guided, feed pistons reciprocable in said cylinders, a pisto-n rod connecting said pistons for movement in unison and passing through a suitable packed opening in said intermediate head, cables connecting the opposite sides of said pistons to said rock drill, and pulleys mounted on said outer heads for guiding said cables. n Y' Y 9. In a rock drilling mechanism, in combination, a rock drill having longitudinal guide members, and feeding'and guiding means for said alsY drill comprising a pressure fluid actuated feeding motor having a plurality of cooperating motor parts and means for holding said motor parts in assembled'relation, said holding means comprising guiding members extending longitudinally of said feeding motor and on which said drill guide members are slidably guided.

10. In a rock drilling mechanism, in combination, a rock drill, and feeding and supporting means for said drill comprising a central trunnion support, alined feed cylinders, an intermediate head for said feed cylinders secured yto said trunnion support and having a packed opening, said cylinders solely supported by said trunnion support through said intermediate head, means for securing said cylinders to said intermediate toY head, pistons reciprocable in said cylinders re- Yspectively, a piston rod connecting said pistons and extendingthrough the packed opening in said intermediate head, means for supplying pressure fluid selectively to the adjacent ends of said cylinders to eiect movement of said pistons in one direction or the other, and means for connecting said pistons to the rock drill.

ELMER G. GARTIN. 

